Ransom My Heart
by TheGeekyAndTheWeird
Summary: AU. Misty, May, Leaf, and Dawn are the four princesses of Cyneburg. Ash, Drew, Gary, and Paul are bandits- they are notorious throughout the realms for thieving to survive. The boys rob the princess' carriage and take the passengers hostage. Realizing their mistake, they put the girls for ransom from the King… but what if our princesses don't want to be saved? IS ORS CS PS
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So we, OlympusGrl and ChocoVanilla-Bunny, decided to write a story together! Isn't this exciting?! LOL. This is our first time writing something together, besides helping each other with our own stories from time to time. So we hope you enjoy! :]**

**That was ChocoVanilla-Bunny up there. ^ But yeah, we're cooperating together to write a story. This was the outcome. We hoped you enjoy reading it as much we enjoyed writing it. We're close friends in real life so hopefully we can collaborate more in the future- but let's not get ahead of ourselves. (: Here's the first chapter for our new story: Ransom My Heart! The plot is inspired by a book that Alice (ChocoVanilla-Bunny) had read, and parts of the chapter are inspired by one of the scenes in the television show: Once Upon a Time. Are there any readers here who watch that show? I want to fangirl with someone. :D **

**Sorry for any grammatical errors or spelling mistakes. But let's not make this author's note long- you may start reading my lovelies!**

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**Disclaimer**: We do not own Pokémon. If we did, there would be some romance in it. (There will actually be a lot)

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**Summary – **AU. Misty, May, Leaf, and Dawn are the four princesses of Cyneburg. Ash, Drew, Gary, and Paul are bandits- they are notorious throughout the realms for robbing passing coaches to survive. The boys rob the princesses' carriage and take the passengers hostage. Realizing their mistake, they put the girls for ransom from the King… but what if our princesses don't want to be saved? IS ORS CS PS

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A loud scream can be heard throughout the castle as a distressed maid looked for the princesses. "Girls!" called the older woman.

"Please calm down, Maria," said a sweet voice behind the woman. The maid jumped and turned around to see the youngest princess of the Cyneburg Kingdom. She was smiling gently with a small and tiny satchel grasped in her hands. Her long blue hair was tied into a messy bun with wisps of her navy blue hair framing her face. The princess was also wearing a cobalt-colored bliaut, which reflected her eyes, with silver trimmings on the sleeves, hem, and the sweetheart neckline of the gown. Wrapped around her waist was a white sash tied into a bow on the back. The only jewelry she wore was a simple gold chain with a pink diamond, shaped into a drop crystal, in the middle. On her feet were silver slippers that peeked out from the hem of her dress. "Your Highness!" scolded Maria. "The carriage towards the summer palace is waiting for you and your sisters outside." She looked behind the princess. "Where are your sisters?" she questioned.

The princess giggled. "They'll be here shortly." Not too soon, voices could be heard down the hall.

"Dawn!" exclaimed a girl with light chestnut-colored hair. She ran to her younger sister. She wore the same exact outfit as her younger sister with a few exceptions- her hair was wrapped in a ponytail with a red ribbon and she wore a vermillion-colored dress with gold trimmings instead. On her feet were gold slippers instead of silver. Her necklace held a ruby in the shape of a drop crystal.

"May!" greeted Dawn. "Where are Leaf and Misty?"

"Here!" shouted a girl with fiery orange hair. Her bliaut was a deep cerulean color, with darker blue trimmings, and her hair was tied into her regular side-ponytail with a blue ribbon. Around her neck was a gold chain with a sapphire stone in a drop crystal. Alongside her was a girl with long, wavy chocolate brown hair. She gave a small nod in greeting as the female shifted through her own little bag. She left her hair down as usual and decided to wear a cream-colored dress with brown trimmings. Dangling on a gold chain was an emerald.

"There you are Your Highnesses!" breathed Maria in relief. She motioned with her hands for the girls to follow her. "Your mother has requested for you girls to arrive early- she will be coming along with your father shortly after. Come, come! Your carriage is awaiting."

They walked down the carpeted part of the hallway; it was a wide strip of velvet which was in the middle, with the stone floors on either side of the hallway. The workers in the castle bowed to the princesses who nodded their heads or smiled at them in acknowledgement as they passed. The princesses eventually walked past Marina, a friend of theirs but also the Queen's loyal advisor. Marina gave a small smile and waved, with the girls nodding back in response.

The girls and the maid turned and walked along another hallway until they reached the foyer. The foyer was the first thing guests saw when they entered the castle. It was beautifully decorated, like the rest of the castle. The first thing people saw when entering the foyer was the huge crest of the Cyneburg royal family; a big leaf with a bigger crown encircled around it. The crest is embroidered in gold on a red flag that hung over the balcony that overlooked the entire room.

In the middle of the foyer stood a fountain made out of gold. It was fashioned into leaves that transported the water from the top to the bottom. The floor was carpeted except for around the fountain. On the walls hung the stuffed heads of the bounty the King had killed in his lifetime. It also sported the shields and swords from past heroic knights. Large windows were along the walls, and people would normally see the beautiful castle gardens if it weren't for the thick, velvet drapes that covered it.

"Come quick girls," urged Maria. "You don't want to keep your parents waiting, now do you?"

The girls handed their luggage over to the servant to haul into the carriage. They had already sent a couple of their luggage beforehand to the palace, so there weren't much for the servants to carry. The coachman then helped the girls into the carriage and took the seat out front to take hold of the horses' reins.

"Hyah!" shouted the driver. The horses lurched forward and sped away from the castle.

**o()O()o**

The ride has so far lasted for almost an hour. The carriage was moving along the path in the forest smoothly when the horses reared back; jolting the passengers inside.

Misty, the eldest of the four, leaned back against the small yet roomy carriage and sighed. "It'll be a couple of hours before we get there."

"Ugh. I'm so bored," murmured May. Her eyes glanced at Leaf momentarily before giving her sister an eye roll. "Must you read a book already? You've been keeping your nose in there this whole time."

"It's a form of pastime. At least I have something to do," the princess replied smugly. May laughed before raising her hands up in protest.

Dawn glanced around. "Why did the carriage stop?"

May blinked.

"Does it normally stop on the road?"

Misty looked at her with her eyes furrowed.

"No..."

"Who goes there?!" shouted one of the knights guarding the carriage.

The princess' all peered through the two windows on either side of the carriage. In front of them was a fallen tree. Many members of the Royal Guard were around the tree, talking in inaudible tones to one another as there was suddenly a small commotion outside. Leaf snapped her book shut and slid out easily from her designated seat.

"I'll go check out the scene," the brunette promised. She gave them a reassuring smile as she ran out of their method of transportation.

**o()O()o**

Four cloaked figures laid waiting behind the trees for their latest conquest.

"They should be here soon," announced a gruff voice.

Another figure snorted.

"A summer palace," one sneered. "Like seriously. Who the hell has a summer palace? It'll be fine if we just took a _few_ jewels,"

One figure glanced at his companion before laughing lightly.

"Emphasize the word _few_,"

"They're here," said a voice in the trees.

The four figures flipped their hoods on and went into their positions.

**o()O()o**

Leaf walked up hesitantly towards the scene. A member of the Royal Guard glanced up at her before looking at the obstacle that was blocking the group.

"What has happened here?" Leaf asked, although she already knew the answer.

"A fallen tree, Your Highness," a soldier replied. He gave her a reassuring nod. "A tree has fallen in our path. But don't you worry. We will get this out of the way soon, Princess."

"It's just a fallen tree!" Leaf yelled towards the carriage, hoping her sisters heard it. She walked up to the large trunk as the soldiers stood back, surveying the scene and murmuring to one another on the best idea to get it out of the way. Leaf's hand touched the bark of the tree, and touching it gently, the girl's curiosity sparkled with interest as she looked at the stump. Counting the rings inwardly, Leaf frowned. This tree was actually quite young. And the stump... it wasn't rigid. It was smooth. The tree did not fall naturally and on it's own.

"Your Highness?" a soldier questioned. Leaf looked back, with her eyes wide.

"It's- draw your swords! It's an ambush!"

The soldier was not able to respond before he collapsed with an arrow embedded itself on his right shoulder. More soldiers cried out, suddenly drawing out their swords. They collapsed shortly after, and more arrows were fired as they all slumped towards the ground, unconscious and bleeding to death. Leaf looked around, horrified. She ran towards one, fumbling and pressing her fingers to one's neck. There was a faint pulsing and Leaf sighed in relief. They needed help. And quick.

"I'm impressed,"

Startled, Leaf looked up with her lips pursed, arms firm in a protective stance. Her eyes narrowed upon seeing a cloaked figure with the hood drawn. The person's face was concealed, although she was able to see a ghost of a smile. A long bow was held firmly in his hands with a quiver of arrows slung over his back, and an arrow was prepared at the ready. It was overall a creepy sight. Leaf swallowed thickly as her mind tried to quickly generate an answer.

"Not many people are able to realize our intentions until _after_ we make our getaway," the figure taunted, walking slowly towards the female. Leaf's fingers curled into fists as she heard some more reinforcements coming. If she was going to get hit by the arrow now, then the other knights wouldn't make it in time.

"Stand back!" Leaf ordered. She glared at the figure. That figure... he is definitely a male with that deep voice of his. And a cocky one at that. "Let's just say I'm... different."

"Oh I know _princess_," the male sneered. Leaf frowned, frustrated. "Princess Leaf, perhaps you are one of the only educated people throughout the realms alongside with your _sisters_. And females no less! You do get the best tutors... but that's beside the point. I've got to say Princess, I like you."

Leaf wanted to retort on how sexist that sounded, but she swallowed those bitter thoughts down her throat.

"You know it's funny how you know so much about me yet I don't even know your name," Leaf glared. The man simply smirked.

"Under different circumstances, I would enjoy having a conversation with you," he shook his head and sighed. "Pity. I'm only here for something, and for one reason only."

"So we could talk?" Leaf smiled hopefully, though her eyes said otherwise.

Readying the arrow and aiming at a tree behind her, he released the bowstring, and with a smooth piercing sound, the arrow hit against a tree trunk with excellent strength and precision. Glancing back, he shook his head.

"No," he laughed. "But I think you know the answer," he replied shortly before Leaf heard a high pitched scream. Leaf's eyes dilated and her breath suddenly shortened. She knew that scream. There was only one person who could scream that loud.

And that person was Dawn.

The archer looked back momentarily, slightly stunned. He closed his eyes and smirked.

"Doesn't she have a voice," he mused as he pulled out a piece of twine. "And now it's your turn."

**o()O()o**

Misty, May, and Dawn had stayed behind in the carriage when Leaf went outside to check out the commotion.

"Oh! What is going on?" asked a nervous May. She was wringing her hands and her fingers fumbled with one another to show her distress.

"May," soothed Misty, "Everything will be okay... hopefully." Misty whispered the last part but May caught it anyway.

"Hopefully?!"

"It's just a fallen tree!" the girls heard Leaf chorus. May breathed a sigh in relief as she slumped her back in her seat.

"Thank goodness,"

Dawn was about to make a comment when something landed on the top of the carriage. All conversation stopped and they held their breaths, waiting for what was to come.

When a person's face appeared in the window, Dawn let out bloody murder.

**o()O()o**

A figure in a black cloak waited atop a tree just above the carriage. He waited for the signal the person talking to Leaf was going to give him. When he saw the signal, the person dropped from the tree and landed gracefully onto the carriage.

He thought he heard voices but shook it off as his imagination.

The figure lowered his body to peer through the window and met another face, much to his surprise. The girl screamed and the man dropped from the carriage.

"Shit!" cursed the male. He got back on his feet and grabbed the dagger that was on his belt.

He opened the carriage door and grabbed the screaming girl. The girl tried struggling out of his vise-like grip, but to no avail.

"Do me a favor and _shut up_," he hissed. He pressed the point of his dagger to her throat. The girl whimpered, but stopped screaming.

"Good girl," said her captor. "Now," he looked at the people in the carriage, "Get out of there unless you want there to be one sister less."

Misty and May looked at each other briefly before complying with the man and stepped out of the carriage.

Two more people stepped out from the shadows and got a hold of them.

"Were there supposed to be three other girls here?" one complained.

The other shrugged nonchalantly. "We've always been good with improvising,"

The person that was talking to Leaf walked over to the carriage. "You guys seem a little busy," he said jokingly. The person entered the carriage and looked around. There was a bag on the seats and he grabbed it.

He exited the carriage and tossed the bag up and down on the palm of his hand. "This feels pretty heavy," he said. He pulled open the bag to see a bag full of gold coins. The man let out a low whistle.

Misty glared. She was about to start to run and charge at the man, but her captor's grip on her intensified and pulled her back. It didn't stop her from attempting to get her captor from releasing his hold, but her attempts to escape were futile.

"Give that goddamn bag back," spat Misty.

"Let me see... how about no?" he deadpanned, giving her a smirk. May glanced around the scene and frowned. She took a deep breath and struggled with her words.

"Where are the guards when you need them?"

The two figures who were holding Misty and May respectively smirked.

"Let's just say they won't be here for a while... or ever,"

Just then, a dagger lodged itself near the man's foot. He yelped and looked around the area. Startled, everyone looked down the path, and standing there twirling her other dagger was a brunette. There was a flash of surprise, awe, and respect that were in the man's eyes before it disappeared.

"Looking for something?" Leaf said slyly. She was leaning against a tree with her arms crossed over her chest.

"What?! How did you escape?" demanded the man.

Leaf smirked at him.

"Why don't you look below you?"

Ignoring her taunts and sneers, the man subconsciously looked down to see one of his own daggers lodged in the dirt. "When-?!"

"For a bunch of bandits you guys sure are such idiots," drawled Leaf.

"And you say that because-"

Leaf laughed.

"Your hoods fell back a few minutes ago."

All the bandits wished to say that they did not fail to notice that.

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**So here is the first chapter to Ransom My Heart! Had an idea one day and finished writing a chapter the next. We make a great team! ^ . ^ We hope you enjoyed reading this.**

**Alice is done talking, so now it's my turn. (; We hope that our writing abilities are fine and their are not many problems with them. This chapter is quite short so hopefully we could write a little more in the future. :D This is an account shared by two people once again, and we have our own separate accounts. :D Alice's is ChocoVanilla-Bunny, and her account is mostly devoted to Pok****é**mon stories. My account name is OlympusGrl, and I write a lot of Percy Jackson and the Olympians stories. I'm a big fan of the book series, and if possible, go check both of the accounts out. (: With that already said, please review, favorite, alert and all that stuff. :3

**Tell us what you readers think! c:**


	2. Chapter 2

**So we just wanted to say that the main shipping is not Dawn and Gary. That would be very wrong. Its supposed to be Oldrival and Ikari, but for some reason, it put those two together. So just a warning beforehand. :D**

**Thanks for all your support guys! We were happy with each favorite, alert, and/or review, and for that, here is Chapter Two. (: Well, it was more of Alice who kept berating me to continue writing… it usually takes me months to update only one of my stories… -sigh-**

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**Disclaimer: We do not own Pokemon. If we did, there would be some romance in it. :(**

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**Summary –** AU. Misty, May, Leaf, and Dawn are the four princesses of Cyneburg. Ash, Drew, Gary, and Paul are bandits- they are notorious throughout the realms for robbing passing coaches to survive. The boys rob the princess' carriage and take the passengers hostage. Realizing their mistake, they put the girls for ransom from the King… but what if our princesses don't want to be saved? IS ORS CS PS

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_Previously:_

_"For a bunch of bandits you guys aren't so smart," drawled Leaf._

_"And you say that because-"_

_Leaf laughed._

_"Your hoods fell back a few minutes ago."_

_All the bandits wished to say that they did not fail to notice that._

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The four men froze. True enough, their hoods had all fallen off.

"Oh crap," muttered one of the bandits. He had green hair with matching emerald eyes. Underneath his cloak, he wore a white lawn shirt, dark green pants that were kind of loose around the legs, but tight around the ankles, and soft black leather boots that reached up to his calves. Strapped to his back was a bow and a full quiver of arrows. On his waist was a belt. Strapped to the left side was a sword. On the right side were two daggers; one small and one medium-sized.

"Looks like we have no other choice," said Dawn's captor. He had purple hair that almost grazed his shoulders with smoldering coal-black eyes. He wore the same thing as his companion, but he wore black pants instead, and a gun instead of a bow and arrow. **(A/N: Let's just say they had guns back then, alright? ;D)**

"What are you-!" Dawn never finished her sentence as the man struck her head and she got knocked unconscious.

"Dawn!" shouted her sisters, but they were silenced as they all received the same fate as their sister. Leaf, who was separated and standing not within arm's length, was shot with an arrow courtesy of a particular male. She was hit in the shoulder before collapsing, suddenly unconscious. Getting raised eyebrows from his companions, the male shrugged apprehensively. He had spiky brown hair and black eyes. The brunet wore dark brown pants in the same fashion and a bow strapped to his back with a half full quiver of arrows.

"What? She's not dead."

He walked over and started to hold Leaf upright, but she kept falling into the ground, much to his frustration. He ripped a piece of cloth from his sleeve and wrapped it tightly around Leaf's shoulder in a makeshift bandage. It helped to stanch the flow of blood seeping out from her wound.

Sighing, the four all looked at one another.

"Now what?" asked the male holding Misty up. He had raven black hair with mocha brown eyes. He was dressed like Dawn's captor except for he had on tan pants.

"Take them to camp?" suggested the brunet.

"Paul?" asked the chartreuse-haired male. He looked over to the purple-haired male for confirmation.

Paul sighed. "I guess it can't be helped then." He whistled and four horses came into the clearing.

Paul walked over to the biggest horse. It was a pure black stallion with a white diamond in the middle of its head. The horse snorted and stomped its hooves in greeting to its master. "Hey there, Nightmare," said Paul. He patted the horse on the head.

On the horse's back was a saddle with a satchel attached to it filled with tools and food. Paul lifted Dawn up and put her on the horse. Her limp body laid splayed across the horse with her feet and head dangling off the animal. Paul placed his foot on the foothold and swung himself on. He fixed Dawn's position so she was now upright and her head was leaning on his shoulder, much to his annoyance. He could feel her breath on his neck and gripped the reins harshly.

Drew, the green-haired boy, walked over to the white stallion. It was pure white with no markings on it. Its tail and mane were also stark white. The horse whinnied and butted Drew lightly on the back with its head. "Woah there, Blizzard," commanded Drew. His horse was set up like Paul's; with a saddle and satchel on the side. He placed the unconscious May on the horse and climbed on himself. He fixed May's position and got comfortable on the horse.

Ash, the black-headed male, bounded over to his stead. The chestnut colored stallion trotted over its owner and looked at the girl in his hands curiously. Ash nuzzled the horse's snout. "My little Hazel," sighed Ash.

Ash hefted Misty onto the horse and hopped on afterwards. He moved Misty so she wouldn't fall off the horse once they started moving.

Gary walked over to the last horse; a gray colored stallion. The horse stamped one of its hooves impatiently. "Calm down, Steel," said Gary. The horse snorted indignantly and Gary swore the horse rolled its eyes at him.

Getting rid of thoughts of going crazy, Gary put Leaf on his horse. He got on and fixed her sitting position. Steel glared at its master for the extra weight put on him. Gary stifled down his snort as he fed the horse a small carrot.

"Ready?" asked Paul. He sounded impatient and annoyed. Looking at his menacing expression and the peaceful one of the girl, they knew they handed over the angel to the devil.

"Let's go," said Gary.

They snapped the reins and the horses lurched forward. They raced through the forest, swiftly dodging trees and branches on the way. This was their domain. Out in the wild, the bandits ruled it all. They were unstoppable. The rushing of the wind and the clattering of hooves gave them all a jolt of adrenaline. Going deeper and deeper into the forest, the four's thoughts about the dead soldiers and the broken carriage in the middle of the road was cast aside, buried deep within the recesses of their minds.

**o()O()o**

Misty moaned as she woke up. She tried moving her head but regretted it as soon as pain set in. What happened? Her viridian green eyes scanned around the area as best she could without moving her head much.

Misty realized three things. One: She was tied up along with her sisters who were still unconscious. Two: They were in the middle of a dark forest. And three: Their captors were nowhere in sight. The teen started to struggle through the thick rope, although she eventually gave up as she slumped down in disbelief.

The hammering and pounding in her head reminded her of the one time her and her sisters sneaked out for some wine and drank. That was actually a pretty interesting night.

When the pain stopped throbbing, Misty kicked Leaf in the shin. Leaf jolted, almost bolting up, but the ropes restrained her movements.

"Crap!" Leaf winced, eyes narrowing and turning into a glare. "Seriously Misty?"

The girl shrugged. "Didn't know how else to wake you,"

Sighing, Leaf looked around the area before frowning. "Where are we?"

Misty bit her lip and swallowed. "Good question,"

Leaf tried to move and reach for the dagger that she always kept hidden in the sleeve of her dress.

"Don't bother," said a disembodied voice.

Misty and Leaf looked up to see one of their captors enter the clearing.

Leaf snarled at the man.

Gary ignored the threat in her voice and walked closer to her. He crouched down and tilted Leaf's face up with his left hand.

Leaf pursed her lips and spit in his face. Gary released her and wiped the saliva off his face. He resisted the urge to smack her right then and there. Instead, he stood up and glared at her. "You're lucky it was me and not Drew or Paul. They wouldn't hesitate to raise a hand at a girl."

Leaf glared at him silently. Much to the girl's surprise, he started to laugh.

"You're different, you know that?"

"I'm sorry if I'm different from all the other girls that you've flirted with," Leaf sarcastically replied, although her eyes were cold. Misty simply blinked, watching the two engaged in a conversation that was actually quite amusing to watch.

Gary was silent as Leaf laughed. "What, you're not going to respond?"

"I'm not going to try to deny it, because it might be true," he responded coolly as he slightly shrugged. Walking a few feet away from their prisoners and kneeling towards the ground, he poked the flames of the fire they had created earlier. He threw more dried leaves and twigs into the pile and the fire crackled higher; emitting off more warmth. Giving a small lopsided smile in satisfaction, he got up. He left the scene without even glancing back.

**o()O()o**

A snap of a twig in the distance alerted Gary of the arrival of his companions. Drew, Ash, and Paul stepped into the clearing.

In Paul's hands were a bundle of rabbits they hunted not too awhile ago. There were bloodstains on each of their clothes and dirt on their faces.

Ash held a basket full of edible berries and various fruits and nuts.

Drew leaned against a tree cleaning his bloodied arrows. The ones that weren't sharp anymore, he snapped in half and threw them away.

Paul handed the meat over to Gary who wordlessly began to skin them with his dagger.

"Are they awake yet?" asked Paul.

Gary continued to skin the animals.

"Only two of them are awake. The others are still unconscious."

Paul nodded and stood up. He walked over to where the princesses were being tied to a thick tree.

Misty and Leaf glared at him when they noticed him approaching.

"What do you want?" spat Misty.

Paul barely spared her a glance. He just walked over to May and Dawn and prodded them with the toes of his boots.

Dawn groaned and her eyes fluttered open. Her dark blue eyes blinked and looked up to see Paul hovering over her.

"Good," he said, "You're awake."

Dawn glared at him from under her bangs, which had gotten loose from the bun from the events. "Where are we?" She looked around the area. All she saw were trees and... more trees.

"Well since you know how we look like, we can't just let you go, now can we?" said Drew. He walked over to where Paul and the captives were at.

May groaned in her sleep. Her eyes shot open a few seconds later to close again from the pain. "Why is it so loud?" she asked groggily.

"Seems like everyone's awake," Drew stated.

Finally registering what was happening, May looked around for her sisters. Realizing that they were right beside her, she slumped back against the tree in relief.

"Why did you take us if you already took our coin?" snarled Misty. She glared viciously at the bandits. They didn't flinch under her gaze.

"Once our parents hear about this," ranted Dawn, "You would be hunted down and hung before you know it."

The people who knew her knew that she wouldn't go along with it once she knew the person, whether good or bad; but their captors didn't need to know about the little lie.

Paul sneered at her. "If we kill you then there won't be anything left to tell."

The girls shut up and gaped at him. _'They wouldn't really kill us. Would they?'_

Dawn scoffed but you could hear the waver in her voice. "That would just make you lot all the more hunted for."

Paul's got to give her credit for standing up to them. He smirked. "We'll see, princess."

He walked away leaving Drew with the captives. **(A/N: Really Paul? You would leave a flirt with four pretty girls?)**

Drew flicked his fringe out from his eyes. "You girls are lucky that our leader even let you tag along with us."

"And what makes you say that, Sir Arrogant?" retorted May.

Drew glared at the title that she gave him. "For one, he tied you up against a tree. Not dangling from a tree... by your necks."

The four girls gagged and shuddered at the image.

Satisfied and smirking slightly, Drew walked away.

May blew some strands of hair out of her line of vision.

"I love the great hospitality here,"

**o()O()o**

Paul went over to his horse to retrieve the small pot he had in his satchel. He also grabbed five cans of beans along with the ceramic object.

He walked back over to where Gary was still skinning the meat.

Paul laid the pot over the fire and poured in the cans of beans.

Ash walked over where the rest of his companions were and sat down on a log near the fire. He peered into the pot. "Do you think that's enough for eight people?"

Paul paused in his stirring.

"Bring me more cans,"

Ash nodded and happily went to retrieve the said items.

He walked back over to Paul and handed over the objects. Paul opened the extra cans and added that to what was already in the pot.

"How's the skinning coming along?" asked Drew. In his hands were little bottles of spices to add more flavor to their food.

"Just peachy," Gary drawled sarcastically.

Near the brunet's feet were piles of rabbit pelts. When he finished skinning an animal, he would take a stick and pierce it through the animal to roast over the fire.

"Someone go untie the girls," commanded Paul.

Ash happily stood up and jogged over to where the girls were.

"Hi guys," greeted Ash.

The girls looked up at him incredulously. They noticed that his eyes were warm and held no sense of malice in them. All in all, they concluded that he was a happy-go-lucky kind of person.

"What do you want?" asked Misty. She looked at him warily.

Ash gave her a goofy grin. "Untying you so you guys could eat."

He walked over to the back of the tree and loosened the knot. "But don't even try to get away," his features hardened, "You won't get very far and we could track you down easily."

The princesses shivered under his gaze but they returned to the happy face they saw earlier. _'Does he have split personalities?'_ they all wondered.

"There! All done!"

The girls just sat there waiting for instructions.

"Are you going to just sit there or do you want us to wait hand and foot for you?" sneered Drew.

The princesses hesitantly rose to their feet. They wobbled on their legs, for they weren't used for so long.

"Chop chop princess," said Gary while clapping his hands together.

Leaf grumbled under her breath and walked over; her sisters trailing behind her.

"Here,"

Paul thrust a wooden bowl into each of their hands.

Leaf looked at the content. "What is it?"

"Soup," replied Gary. He gave himself another helping from the pot and slurped it down.

The girls cringed at the lack of manners.

May sniffed the bowl and took a tentative sip. The brunette grinned at the taste. "It's pretty good!" She gulped down the rest of the soup and asked for seconds.

Her sisters sweat dropped. Despite their sister's positive reaction, Dawn cringed in contempt.

Drew, who was watching her at the moment, raised his eyebrows.

"Oh? I'm sorry, we don't have and silver forks or spoons available. I'm afraid you must use your hands,"

"Don't talk to her that way!" May snapped.

"I can talk to her however I want," Drew retorted.

"Relax _princess_," Paul sneered. "It's not like there's poison in there or anything,"

His snarky comment did not reassure Dawn whatsoever. She looked at the one she considered the least intimidating- Ash. "What's in this?"

Ash was giving himself another helping when he glanced up. "Oh. Beans. Spices. Stuff of that sort," he finished his response by slurping the soup happily.

The princesses wrinkled their noses at the sound.

Dawn looked at the bowl in her hands and slowly raised is to her mouth. The liquid slipped past her lips and down her throat.

"Mmm," she licked the excess soup off her mouth. "It actually isn't half that bad."

"Told you," said May. She nudged her sister in the arm with her elbow.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah,"

Dawn rolled her eyes and waved May off.

"Eat time's over, ladies," announced Gary. He gathered their used bowls and placed them into a neat pile.

The girls just stood there while the boys went about their duties.

"Need something, sweetheart?" smirked Gary.

Leaf glared at him. "What? Not going to tie us up again?"

Gary huffed and gave her a pointed look. "Look. We aren't going to hurt you guys. We're just waiting for the right time to send you back."

Leaf looked at him with calculating eyes and detected that he wasn't lying, walked away with her sisters following after her.

**o()O()o**

"Ta-da!" said Ash when he saw the girls walking over. He presented what he had been working on for the last few minutes.

Behind him was a plain dark green tent. It wasn't elaborate or big. But it was enough to fit the girls inside with some space left over.

"This would be where you girls would be sleeping tonight," Ash informed them.

"But where would you sleep?" asked Misty.

Ash gave her a grin. "We're used to camping outdoors, so its fine."

Misty was about to protest, but Ash was called over elsewhere. Leaf smiled weakly at him. Out of the other four, he showed the most hospitality. Leaf may not know him that well, but she was still grateful for that.

Dawn entered the tent and gasped when she saw their trunks stacked in the back of the tent.

"How did this get here?" asked May in wonder. She ran over to her chest and threw open the top. All her clothes and trinkets were still inside. May smiled warmly as she looked through her possessions. Absentmindedly, she ran her hand through the silk fabrics.

"I guess we owe it to the boys for that," Misty said.

Dawn walked over to one of the trunks and opened the lid. The blunette picked up a dark brown silk blanket stuffed with goose down that made it comfortable and warm. She bit her lip as she looked at the blanket and then outside the tent.

She suddenly knew what she had to do.

Dawn got up and walked over to the opening of the tent.

"Dawn? Where are you going?"

The youngest princess ignored her sister's questions. Lifting the tent flap, the petite girl walked out into the night.

**o()O()o**

"So what's the plan?" asked Ash.

The bandits were currently resting by the fire. Paul sat on a log that was close by the fire. His elbows rested knees while staring intently at the crackling fire. Gary was sprawled on the floor. His arms were behind his head as he rested it on the log beside Paul. Ash was on his back, staring at the twinkling stars above their heads. Drew poked the fire with a stick he found lying on the ground. He was sitting cross legged by the flames.

Paul opened his mouth to say something when they heard the crunching of someone approaching.

Ash sat up and leaned back on his hands. They all looked up to see the youngest princess standing before them.

Dawn shifted her feet uncomfortably. She locked eyes with Paul.

"Um… hey,"

Gary raised his eyebrows upon the sight.

"What do you want girl?"

Dawn swallowed thickly. Well. She can't stop now. "I just want to thank you guys,"

"Okay," Paul monotonous voice replied as he stared at her with dull, almost lifeless, eyes. "Can you leave now?"

Dawn's eyes flashed as she muttered irritably. Drew perked a brow as she continued to murmur to herself. After the inaudible mutterings, she finally steeled herself to continue.

"Here," she said as she shoved the blanket into Paul's hands.

Paul quirked an eyebrow at her.

Dawn glared at him. "I don't like being in debt to people. So now we're even." Her flat voice stunned the four as she lifted her head up, squared her shoulders, and walked back to her sleeping quarters for tonight with confidence that she suddenly had at the moment.

**o()O()o**

Watching the figure going away, Gary whistled lowly. "Looks like Paulie over there would be sleeping quite comfortably tonight."

Paul glared at the brunet. "You want it so badly? Then here." Paul threw the blanket at Gary's face.

Ash sat aside during the scene. He blinked, slightly confused. "That was kinda nice of her to do that…"

Drew rolled his eyes. "She does know we're used to this, right?"

"Whatever. Let's just sleep," said Paul.

He used his cloak as a pillow and laid down on the ground.

Gary huffed. "Take back your damn blanket." He threw the blanket back at Paul who glared at him but draped it over himself nonetheless. Gary smirked, feeling victorious as he laid down on the ground. Soon the four were falling asleep, descending further and further away from reality.

**o()O()o**

As soon as Dawn entered the tent, her sisters rushed up to her.

"Dawn!" scolded Misty. "What have you been doing?"

"Geez, Misty," said Dawn as she tried to calm her sister down. "I only gave them a blanket." She gave her sister a pointed look. "You know how I hate owing people back."

Misty sighed and gave up. When Dawn set her mind to something, you can never change her mind. She respected the girl for that, though it usually was infuriating.

"Let's just go to sleep, shall we?" suggested May, a bit too enthusiastically.

"Gosh, I don't understand how you always see the bright side of things," Leaf murmured as she rubbed her eyes tiredly.

The girls changed into their sleepwear, a silk sleeping gown and a thin robe. They succumbed to the darkness as sleep claimed them.

**o()O()o**

Light filtered through the gaps on the canopy of the forest. Birds residing in the trees sang their morning songs for all to hear.

Inside the tent, May groaned as a ray of sunlight hit her face. She threw her blankets over her head. But it was no use- she was already awake.

May looked around her surroundings, not sure where she was when the events from yesterday came crashing down on her.

She walked over to her sisters and shook them awake.

Dawn rubbed her eyes sleepily. "What is it, May?"

"Wake up Leaf. I'll get Misty."

Dawn mumbled something that sounded like a 'yes' and walked over to Leaf.

All the girls were now awake and fully alert. They listened for noises outside to determine if their captors were awake.

They got their hopes up when they heard the banging of pots. They slumped in defeat and went to look presentable.

The princesses wore their less yet still extravagant gowns.

Misty dressed in a silver dress. The sleeves reached her wrists and then flared out. The bodice was stitched together and ended in a bow in the front. The underlying layer of the dress was a deep blue with light blue details.

Leaf wore a gold dress with the bodice laced together starting from under the bust. The design was the same as Misty's; the sleeves flared out around the wrists. The underlying layer of the dress was a dark green color with lighter green pattersn of swirls and leaves.

May wore an all red gown, save for the gold laces tying the bodice together. The embroidery on the neckline, elbows, and waist were swirled together to make it look like links. The sleeves flared out like the rest of her sister's dresses.

Dawn was donned in a black gown. The bodice was laced together around the waist. The underlying layer of the dress was pink with a white flower pattern. The ridges of the flared out sleeves were embroidered in a gold shimmery fabric.

On each of their feet were slippers of the same color of their gowns. Their necklaces were present around their necks. Their hair was brushed out and flowed behind them in a curtain of soft waves.

They heard one of the boys call to them. "Rise and shine, ladies!"

And simultaneously, one thought appeared in all the girls' minds.

_Well. Looks like it's time to start a new day..._

* * *

**THE CHAPTER IS FINISHED. YAY! -Happy dance-**

**Hope you guys enjoyed it! (: Um… Tell us what you fellow readers think! c:**

**And honestly, Alice wrote ⅞ of the chapter so kudos to her! [Aw thanks ;* ] :D It would be appreciated if you guys would review, favorite, and/or alert. Every little action means a lot to us. I swear. Alice Facebook Messages me every time we get one, LOL. [You asked me to! :P ] OH SHUSH IT YOU. [-blows a kiss-]**

**Summer's almost over! Um. (Or is it winter in the Southern Hemisphere…?) But school is starting soon and I'm not sure if we'll be updating as frequently, and so we're just letting you guys know. Okay? Okay. Oh this is Kelly by the way, haha. (: **

**[And these are Alice! :D I am so special I get the parenthesis :3 ]**

**It's a bracket genius. :P**

**And that's it folks! Until next time! :D Bye!**


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